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Monday, 26 September 2016

We will get out of our problems- Pres Buhari assures African Development Bank

President Buhari today said Nigeria has the people and the resources to
surmount her economic problems. Receiving President of the African
Development Bank (ADB), Dr Akinwunmi Adesina, at State House, Abuja, on
Monday, President Buhari said:

"God has given us people and resources. It will take hard work on our
part, but we will make it. We will get out of our problems. We are
determined to produce what we eat, and stop importation. We will also
chase those who stole, and get them to refund."

He
said the country appreciates helping hands being lent by the ADB,
assuring Nigerian-born Adesina, who was the immediate past Minister of
Agriculture, that "we will not let you down. Your country won't
disappoint you."

Adesina
appreciated President Buhari for the support the country gave when he
ran for ADB presidency, thus making him the first Nigerian to occupy
such position since the bank was established in 1964. He also lauded the
Nigerian President for successes recorded in securing the country,
particularly in the North East, noting that "there can be no development
without adequate security."

The
ADB boss described recent economic decisions taken in the country as
"bold, tough, uncomfortable, but right," adding that Nigeria would reap
the dividends in the short and long run.
"You can count on the ADB as a true friend of Nigeria. You should support massive investment in infrastructure, and
we are here to also support. Closing the infrastructure deficit will
enable growth, and create employment. Nigeria is too big to fail,"
Adesina said.

The
ADB President unfolded the packages his institution has for Nigeria,
which include; $1 billion of budget support, $300 million to create jobs
for 185,000 youths, $250 million towards North East infrastructure
development, $1 million grant to deal with challenges of Internally
Displaced Persons (IDPs), $300 million for infrastructure development
around Abuja, $200 million for Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to
deepen facilities, among others.

Dr Adesina expressed delight with what he called "President Buhari's push on anti-corruption,
and stance on governance," adding that building institutions was
critical. To that end, he said ADB would give a total of $4.8 million as
grant for institutional support, with the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) getting $2 million, and $1million to Independent
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). "You can
always count on my support, and that of the ADB," he concluded.‎